Homemade Chicken Pot Pies

These have become a regular Fall meal in our house! 

First I start by cooking the chicken, letting it cool and then shredding it. Once that step is done, I set aside the chicken and move onto the filling.

I chop all of the veggies I plan on using. I used zucchini, carrots, celery, mushrooms, corn and white onion. You can use any veggies your family likes, I just happened to have these so that what I used. Once everything is finely chopped I combine it all in a large frying pan over med. heat for 5-7 min. seasoned with salt and pepper, cooking until tender. Add veggies to bowl with shredded chicken.

Return the skillet to the heat and add butter. Melt butter, add flour and cook 1 min. Whisk in stock and let thicken a minute or two. Stir in half and half and heat through. Add dijon, dill and salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat and pour  over chicken and veggies, stir to combine.

Lightly grease a large muffin tin. Roll out your dough and cut into 6 squares. Place each square in a muffin cup, fill with chicken mix. Pull all four points of the crust over the filling so the meet in the middle. Brush each pie with egg wash and bake for 25-30 min. until crisp and deeply golden. Let them stand a few minutes before serving. SOOOO GOOD! Enjoy!!   

1- pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 med. white onion, finely chopped

4- mushrooms, finely chopped

1- rib celery, finely chopped

2- carrots, finely chopped

1- cup corn

1- zucchini, finely chopped 

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. flour

3/4 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup half and half

1 Tbsp. dijon mustard 

2 Tbsp. dill, finely chopped

salt and pepper

8-ounces sheet frozen puff pastry dough, defrosted

1-egg, beaten 

Pumpkin Pie Bars

This is a Kraft foods recipe.  I love to make this dessert around this time of year.

1-1/3 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar, divided

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) cold butter or margarine

1 cup old fashioned or quick-cooking oats, uncooked

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 pkg. 8oz cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

1 can (15oz) pumpkin

1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 13 x 9 pan with foil, with ends of the foil extending over sides, grease foil.  Mix flour, 1/4 sugar and brown sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in oats and nuts.  Reserve 1 cup oat mixture; press remaining onto bottom of prepared pan.  Bake 15 min. 

Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar, eggs, pumpkin and spice with mixer until well blended.  Pour over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb oat mixture.  Bake 25 mins.  Cool 10 mins.  Use foil to transfer dessert from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Potato Chip Pork Chops

This is a Britton classic!

8 boneless pork chops

2 - 10oz cans of cream of mushroom soup

1/3 cup of water

2 cups crushed potato chips

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Place olive oil in a hot skillet.  Add pork chops, sprinkle each pork chop with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Brown on both sides.  Remove pork chops from skillet.  Place in a 13 x 9 baking dish.  Using the water and cream of mushroom soup, de-glaze the skillet, getting all the goodies from the pan incorporated into your soup gravy mix.  Pour the soup gravy mix over the pork chops.  Cover the top of each pork chop with crushed potato chips.  If you have thick pork chops bake at 350 degrees for 45 mins.  If you have thin pork chops (like the one pictured here) bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

In honor of the greatest sport (football) opening weekend, I made Buffalo Chicken Salad. A perfect dinner while you cheer on your team! 

*This recipe is for 2 people but you can add according to however many people you are serving. 

2- boneless, skinless chicken breast

2- cups veg. oil

2- eggs, beat

1- bottle of franks wings sauce

2 cups panko bread crumds 

2- heads of roman lettuce, chopped

4- tomatoes, chopped

1- cucumber, chopped

2- hard boil eggs, chopped

5- slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled 

1/4 red onion, chopped

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1- avocado, sliced

ranch (or dressing of your choice)

In a large frying pan heat oil, coat your chicken in the egg, then coat in bread crumbs (i do this twice with each piece of chicken to get a extra crispy coating) once coated place in oil. Fry for 8 min. on each side (or until full cooked) Once the chicken is cooked place on plate and drizzle Franks Wings Sauce over top, set aside. Chop up all your veggies and salad toppings. In a large bowl mix together your salad. Slice your chicken and place on top of your salad. Drizzle ranch dressing or dressing of your choice and ENJOY! 

Homemade Guacamole

Everything is better homemade....right?! And Guacamole is no exception.... try this recipe and you will never buy that packaged, green mush, mystery condiment, I hope this is guacamole from the grocery store again! 

4-avocados

2 tbsp. of fresh lime juice

1- jalapeno, minced, seeds out (keep seeds in if you like it HOT)

1/2 cup diced red onion

1- bunch chopped fresh cilantro

2- roma tomatoes, chopped

1- garlic clove, minced 

salt and pepper 

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, mix together, refrigerate 1 hour and serve! Guacamole tip: to keep the guacamole from turning brown place one of the avocado seeds inside the guacamole, remove when you serve.

Layered Chicken Enchilada Pie

9- flour tortillas 

3/4 cup corn

3/4 cup black beans

1/4 cup chopped yellow onion

1/4 cup chopped black olives 

1- garlic clove, minced

1 cup mexican rice (recipe below, or you can use juts white rice)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2-3 cups of chopped chicken (precooked rotisserie chickens are great to use) 

1- McCormick Enchilada sauce packet

1- 8oz. can of tomato sauce

sour cream, for garnish

1- lime, for garnish

Preheat oven 350.... 

1. If you are not using a rotisserie chicken from the market, cook your chicken and chop it up once it has cooled slightly. 
2. If you are making with Mexican Rice (recipe below) or white rice, make and set aside.
3. In a large bowl combine, corn, black beans, onion, olives, garlic, rice and chicken. Mix all together and set aside 
4. In a large sauce pan add together, enchilada sauce packet (directions to make sauce are on the back) tomato sauce and water.... Stir and bring to a boil. Once that has ticken, turn heat on low and set side.
5. In a lightly greased pie dish (use pam) lay two tortillas down, take the third tortilla and fold in half, break apart and lay half the tortilla on one side and the other half on the other, this way your pie dish bottom is completely covered.
6. Once the tortillas are down spread some of the ingredients from step #3 on top, layer on some cheese and pour some enchilada sauce over top. Repeat this step 2 more times
7. Bake for 10-15 min. Until all the cheese is melted and dish is warmed through.... 

ENJOY this yummy, simple, mexican dish! 

Mexican Rice Recipe:

3 Tbsp. veg. oil

1 cup uncooked rice

1 tsp. garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 cup chopped yellow onion

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 cups chicken broth

Heat oil in a large saucepan and add rice. Cook stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking sprinkle with cumin. Stir in onions and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-25 min. Fluff with a fork. 

Mac Salad

This is my mom's recipe for Mac Salad.  I can no longer eat store bought deli mac salad or even potato salad.  It just doesn't taste as delicious as my mom's. To me, it is worth the time and the effort to make this salad from scratch.

16oz. of salad macaroni noodles

6 hard boiled eggs (cooled & chopped)

6oz can of olives (sliced)

1 cup of mayo

1 Tbsp of sweet pickle juice

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/2 cup celery (chopped)

1/2 cup sweet pickles (chopped)

1/3 cup green onion (chopped)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook macaroni as directed on the bag, drain and completely cool. In a bowl combine noodles, chopped eggs, sliced olives, chopped celery, chopped sweet pickle, chopped green onion.  Stir in mayo, sweet pickle juice, dry mustard, and salt & pepper to taste.  Cover salad and place in the fridge.  Serve cold.  This size salad feeds 10 people